1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing method and system for making a print from a photo picture frame and a graphic image written by a user, such as characters and drawings written by hand or a touch pen or the like, or input through a keyboard, an image input terminal, a character recognition device, or the like. The present invention relates also to a method of editing photo picture frames on a screen, and an apparatus therefor.
2. Background Arts
A new type of photo film, called IX 240 type, has been developed and brought into market. The IX 240 type photo film has a transparent magnetic recording layer thereon, so it is possible to record data on or read data from the magnetic recording layer by a magnetic recording device or a magnetic reading device, which may be incorporated into a camera, a film scanner, a photo printer, or a photographic image reproduction device called photo player.
The data recorded for each picture frame by the camera may include the frame serial number, the date and time of photography, the exposure value used for the picture frame, the kind of light source, the requisite number of prints, the print format like panoramic size, high-vision size or conventional 35 mm film frame size. The printer controls the print-exposure value, the number of prints made from each picture frame, and the print format based on the data read from the magnetic recording layer.
It has also been suggested to record data of titles, messages, notes, or greetings, which are given by the photographer to selected picture frames, on the magnetic recording layer in association with the selected picture frame, so the printer prints the title, note or message in combination with the picture frame.
However, it has been difficult to input and record data of appropriate words through a camera. Therefore, the photographer is only allowed to choose one of the options prepared in the camera, like “A Happy New Year”, “Graduation Ceremony”, and the chosen title or message is recorded in the form of a code. Besides, the photographer cannot freely choose the position of the words relative to the picture frame, but is allowed to choose among several predetermined locations inside, outside and backside the printed picture frame.
In the conventional cameras, the photographer cannot design the font or style of the merge-printed or superimposed characters. It is also impossible for the photographer to enter data of handwritten characters or drawings to synthesize them with the photographed picture frame.
Even though IX 240 photo film has the magnetic recording layer, cheap compact cameras and lens-fitted photographic film units are not provided with the magnetic recording device for the magnetic recording layer.